Calling creatives and artists – apply for a grant of up to £50,000 to explore using immersive technology in your work.
Immersive Arts, a UK-wide programme to support artists to make and share extraordinary immersive work, which counts Wales Millennium Centre as a partner, has opened applications for its first round of funding.
Grants are available as part of the three-year project, with the aim of supporting over 200 artists to explore the possibilities of immersive technology for their creative practice.
Immersive Arts will generate a rich programme of inclusive and accessible opportunities, breaking down the barriers for artists of all backgrounds to engage with immersive tools.
Artists will have the opportunity to access training, mentoring, specialist facilities and vital funds, with a total of £3.6 million in grant funding available between 2024 and 2027 to get ideas off the ground and further develop existing projects.
What grants are available?
Artists are invited to apply to one of three distinct funding strands, each designed to support different stages of creative development:
- Explore (£5,000): Ideal for individuals, small groups or organisations (10 employees or fewer) with limited or no experience in immersive arts. This grant will enable artists to explore immersive technologies, develop ideas, experience work or meet potential collaborators.
- Experiment (£20,000): For individuals or micro-entities (10 employees or fewer) to support the creation of experimental immersive art works or prototypes that can be tested with small audiences.
- Expand (£50,000): For individuals, micro-entities or organisations (50 employees or fewer) looking to advance existing projects to their next stage for development, testing or presentation.
Click here for more information and to apply. The deadline for applications is 2 December at midday.
Wales Millennium Centre is a close partner on the Immersive Arts project, building on our own work producing and showcasing immersive experiences in our dedicated Bocs venue, which has hosted award-winning immersive work and been visited by thousands of people since opening in 2022.
Graeme Farrow, our Chief Creative and Content Officer, said:
“We’ve seen first-hand how audiences are inspired by the fascinating possibilities of immersive arts. Now our challenge is to inspire artists in the same way to create work in this ever-developing technological space; giving them the skills, confidence and opportunity to tell captivating stories in these new ways.
“We want to see plenty of Welsh artists taking the step to create their work using virtual, augmented and extended reality technologies – perhaps in ways we’ve not even considered before – so we can continue to showcase cutting-edge work in our spaces in the future. This fund is their chance to do just that.”
The Immersive Arts project is led by UWE Bristol, with the lead hub at Pervasive Media Studio in Bristol, and Watershed as Executive Producer. Other partners include the University of Bristol and cultural organisations in Belfast and Derry (Nerve Centre) and Glasgow (Cryptic).
The training and showcasing programme will be led by Crossover Labs, with strategic input from Unlimited, Innovate UK Immersive Tech Network and XR Diversity Initiative and an international Advisory Board.
Funding for Immersive Arts is provided through a collaboration between the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Arts Council England, the Arts Council of Wales (ACW), Creative Scotland and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland (ACNI). Funding from Creative Scotland, ACW and ACNI is provided by The National Lottery.